Stitch of the Month

 Hi everyone

It's good to see so many of us stitching in spite of everything else going on around (and behind the scenes!). There are also plenty reasons to be cheerful: vaccinations are rolling out, spring was in the air this weekend and perhaps we can at last look forward to meeting up face to face.

February's stitch of the month, Fern Stitch, produced some beautiful contributions, as always:

Left:  Bernadette

Middle: From the top: Debbie, Angela, Susan, Meriel

Right: From the top: Janet Lee, Helen, Heather.

Stitch of the Month for March is Mexican Stitch.

Mexican stitch is also known as cloud filling stitch and online searches for 'Cloud-filling Stitch' will produce quite a few results.

The foundation consists of small running stitches at regular intervals in rows alternating spaces.

Into this foundation a thread of a contrasting colour is laced by taking it first under an upper stitch and then under a lower stitch, alternate rows being laced so that the stitches meet under the same stitch.

 The effect can be varied by spacing the rows of foundation stitches. It is used as a filling stitch in Jacobean embroidery or similar. 

I've put some examples in the Birmingham Embroiderers Guild board on Pinterest (currently located under Deborah Eyre - just search for my name). 

Talking of Pinterest, I'll set up a new account once we have chosen our new name. It will then be easier to  find and we can start to build up a useful collection of stitch tutorials, inspiration etc.

So good luck with Mexican stitch and all the other projects you are doing. Enjoy your stitching!

Bye for now.